More from Football

Ajax win third consecutive Dutch Eredivisie title with 5-0 thrashing of Willem II

Ajax wrapped up their third consecutive Dutch Eredivisie title in style with a 5-0 thrashing of lowly Willem II.

Last Updated: 05/05/13 6:26pm

Ajax: Lift the Eredivisie title for the third year in a row

Frank de Boer's side outclassed their oponents from the start and cruised into a 2-0 lead at half-time through goals from Kolbeinn Sigthorsson and Christian Eriksen.

The second half followed much the same pattern as further strikes from Viktor Fischer, Siem De Jong and Danny Hoesen secured another domestic crown and condemned Willem II to relegation.

The result left the Amsterdam giants four points clear of nearest rivals PSV Eindhoven, whose 4-2 win over NEC Nijmegen was not enough to take the title race to the final round of matches.

It is the 32nd time Ajax have been crowned Dutch champions and coach de Boer becomes only the third man to lead them to three Eredivisie crowns in a row after Rinus Michels and Louis van Gaal.

De Boer also has the honour of becoming the first player to win the league title three consecutive times with Ajax and then repeat the feat as a manager.

Meanwhile, Sunday's thrashing of Willem II by the Amsterdammers condemned their opponents to relegation.

PSV came into the weekend still with a hope of denying Ajax the title but despite enjoying another goal-laden victory, it was not enough.

Last season's runners-up Feyenoord also had a chance to pip Ajax to the title if results went their way over the final two rounds but they slumped to a 2-0 defeat to ADO Den Haag on Sunday.

Vitesse Arnhem remain two points further back in fourth after they too suffered defeat in the penultimate round, going down 3-2 at 10-man RKC Waalwijk, who ensured themselves of top-flight football next season with the win.

RKC's victory means Roda JC and VVV Venlo will take part in the relegation play-offs. Second-bottom VVV recorded their third successive draw as they played out a 0-0 stalemate with Groningen, while Roda crashed to a 5-3 defeat at NAC Breda.

There were also plenty of goals in Heerenveen where the home side suffered a 4-2 home defeat to FC Utrecht. Jens Toornstra (34), Jacob Mulenga (61), Jan Wuytens (66) and Mike van der Hoorn (86) netted for Utrecht with Yassine El Ghanassy (30 and 81) replying for Heerenveen.

Utrecht's victory lifted them up to fifth spot, leap-frogging FC Twente who were held 1-1 at Heracles. The hosts took a seventh-minute lead through Thomas Bruns with Twente levelling up 20 minutes later thanks to Leroy Fer.